The Tampa Bay Lightning will look to even the Stanley Cup Final 2-2 in game four against the Colorado Avalanche. Puck drop is set for 8PM EST at Amalie Arena with the game airing on ABC. The Avalanche are underdogs for the first time this series at -104 while the Lighting are -118 favorites.
RECENT TRENDS:
The Lighting zapped the Avalanche in game three with a four goal second period. Their offense saw six different players light the lamp ranging from Pat Maroon to Steven Stamkos. As a team, ten different players registered a point on the stat sheet. Throughout the 2022 playoffs, game four has been Tampa Bay’s game as they have won all three previous game fours by an average margin of three goals.
The Avalanche lost their first ever road playoff game this postseason with their 6-2 loss. In net, Darcy Keumper was removed after letting up five goals on 22 shots for Pavel Francouz who gave up one goal on ten shots faced. Just like Tampa Bay, Colorado has not lost a game four yet this postseason, winning by an average of two goals with all three games being on the road.
BETTING ANGLES:
For game three, do not take the Tampa Bay moneyline, but take the Tampa Bay regular time line of +148 to get some extra cash. Tampa Bay has been a lock at home in game four, winning all three games and none of them going to overtime. Taking the alternate line of Tampa Bay can be seen as a safer bet.
Looking for a goalscorer, I cannot emphasize Ondrej Palat enough. Take him as an anytime goalscorer (+160). Palat has scored in every Tampa Bay game four this postseason and as a whole, has registered a point in every Tampa Bay home game this postseason. Palat is a massive lock during home games to register on the scoresheet.
RECENT INJURIES:
Colorado has no recent injuries while Brayden Point and Nikita Kucherov have been listed as day to day. According to the Lighting, they say Kucherov should be ready for game four while Point is a game time decision.
WHY TAMPA BAY CAN WIN:
Tampa loves playing at home and it shows in their record. Nearly undefeated and coming off a huge 6-2 win, the Bolts have momentum on their side. Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy also returned to form with a 37 save performance. On offense, ten different players registered a point with at least one member of each offensive line scoring. With an offense firing on all cylinders and at home, expect Tampa to even the series, even if Point is out.
WHY COLORADO CAN WIN:
In two previous losses this postseason, Colorado has won the game after, winning by three and one. If Colorado can win game four, it comes down to the man in net for them. If Keumper starts the game is up in the air while if it is Francouz, he has yet to lose in six starts going 6-0. It comes to their goalie but if Francouz takes the ice, Colorado can set up a game five clinch at home.
BEST OVERALL BET: Ondrej Palat Anytime Goalscorer (+160)
